”Colleagues, friends!
I am glad to welcome you at the Sixth BRICS Parliamentary Forum, which is aimed to contribute to strengthening of the strategic partnership of our countries for global stability, shared security and innovative growth.
This is the priority issue of the foreign policy of our country, and, as I said, Russia chairs BRICS in 2020.
We represent states that have their own national laws, traditions and different political systems.
However, we are all convinced that it is necessary to uphold the principles of international law enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations — an organization marking its 75th anniversary in 2020.
I want to emphasize that attempts to build a unipolar world on the principle of the ”power of force“, to question the central role of the United Nations in international affairs, in ensuring global stability and security, are unacceptable.
We should do everything to build cooperation between our states on the principles of mutual respect, absence of double standards, and non-interference in internal affairs.
It is necessary to work together to ensure equal cooperation between all states within the framework of the UN and other international institutions and organizations.
Playing a key role in the world security architecture, they should bring states together to counter terrorism, illegal migration, drug trafficking, and corruption.
The world is changing rapidly, new threats appear, such as coronavirus infection. The global stability requires a prompt response to these challenges.
But we see that the pandemic situation is another possibility for political confrontation and unfair competition.
We should prevent that. International cooperation for the health and well-being of people should address effectively these challenges.
Colleagues!
Five years ago, under the Russian BRICS Chairmanship, the heads of our states set a course for interaction to counter infectious diseases.
The potential of the BRICS countries in this area is unique. China and India are among the main suppliers of pharmaceuticals on the world market.
Republic of South Africa has the largest medical industry in the African continent, as well as Brazil in Latin America.
Russian science has achieved a lot in the field of virology and microbiology research.
Our country has developed and registered two COVID-19 vaccines. The third vaccine will soon be registered.
Joint actions of the BRICS states for the production of COVID −19 vaccines, including the Russian vaccine Sputnik, demonstrate another vivid example of partnership, mutual assistance and support.
In this regard, I should note one of our priorities – creation together with BRICS partners of a comprehensive early warning system to prevent epidemiological threats.
We also support the South African initiative to establish a Vaccine Development and Research Center, that was announced in 2018.
Parliamentarians should create all the necessary legislative conditions for cooperation between the BRICS countries in the health areas, as well as do everything to increase efficiency of public administration systems to counter infectious diseases.
The coronavirus pandemic has shown the importance of this issue, and we see that COVID-19 has affected people's lives and led to the world economy crisis.
The pandemic also seriously affected industries of the BRICS countries, construction sector, small and medium-sized businesses, especially the service sector.
In these circumstances, it is important for us to work more actively within the framework of the parliamentary dimension on the implementation of the decisions of the heads of our countries and to maintain a constant dialogue to bring cooperation to a new level.
The heads of our states set the task to work on joint measures to overcome the consequences of the pandemic.
The updated BRICS Economic Partnership Strategy for the period up to 2025, which should be adopted by the end of the year, will be an important step in that direction. The document will define guidelines and priorities of our cooperation and give a new impetus to development of trade and investment cooperation between the five countries.
I would like to note that the New BRICS Development Bank demonstrates high efficiency.
It is one of the key international financial institutions and has already approved 64 projects for a total amount of USD 20 billion.
Colleagues!
Speaking about development of relations between our countries, I would like to emphasize once again the importance of parliamentary cooperation between the BRICS countries.
That is very important for development of trade and economic cooperation and enhancement of humanitarian cooperation.
Annual parliamentary forums give us great opportunities to discuss the current agenda and exchange legislative experiences.
It is necessary to continue development of our inter-parliamentary dialogue and to find new formats of cooperation.
We need to create a regular mechanism of parliamentary cooperation between the BRICS states, a form of parliamentary interaction which will be convenient for all five states.
The world is becoming multipolar and that requires the maximum coordination of interests, including, equal parliamentary dialogue, so all opinions would be taken into account and respected.
This is the main condition for addressing regional problems and overcoming global challenges.
We need to defend our common position at international parliamentary platforms. It is important to ensure fair and mutually beneficial conditions for participation of our countries in world trade system and to stand together against the policy of sanctions and unfair competition.
I would like to emphasize that over the past decade, the BRICS countries have significantly increased their effectiveness in addressing common challenges..
Constructive cooperation has been established to counter corruption and drug trafficking. The Draft BRICS Counter-Terrorism Strategy was agreed. Roadmap for energy cooperation between our countries for the period to 2025 is being prepared.
At the same time, there are new spheres of interaction that require substantive work within the BRICS parliamentary dimension.
Colleagues, it would be right to pay special attention to the issue of exchange of legislative experience in the development of digital economy, artificial intelligence, and personal data protection.
Modern world needs a unifying agenda, protection of the principle of sovereign equality of states, the right of peoples to choose their own future, the formation of a more just and democratic world order.
Parliamentary diplomacy should give an answer to this request, moreover, it should help to reduce confrontation and conflict potential and to address together new challenges and threats.
Thank you for your attention.“
The 6th BRICS Parliamentary Forum under the theme ”BRICS Partnership for Global Stability, Shared Security and Innovative Growth: parliamentary dimension“ was held via videoconference for the first time. The Forum was held under the Russian BRICS Chairmanship in 2020.
